Arizona Patient Dies From Rare Pneumonic Plague, Officials Warn of Potential Outbreak

A person in Coconino County, northern Arizona, died from pneumonic plague, marking the first fatal case of this severe lung infection in the area since 2007. The patient, who arrived at Flagstaff Medical Center with symptoms, died the same day despite medical efforts, and the infection was confirmed to be caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Pneumonic plague, unlike the bubonic form, can be transmitted through respiratory droplets and is rapidly fatal without prompt antibiotic treatment. Health officials emphasized that human-to-human transmission is very rare, with the last reported case in 1924, and advised precautions such as avoiding contact with wild animals and fleas. The death has raised concerns due to a recent die-off of prairie dogs in the region, which are known carriers of plague-infected fleas, prompting increased monitoring by public health authorities. Overall, plague remains rare in the U.S., with about seven cases annually, but it requires swift treatment to prevent serious illness or death.